INSIDER'S PICK: 2019 HERDADE DO ROCIM TOURIGA NACIONAL ALENTEJANO $19.99 (Wine Advocate 89points)

Even though we will not be doing the public tasting portion of the Insider's Pick until further notice, we will still be offering the wine for purchase with the usual 10% discount on Thursday and Friday. The wines will still be ones we highly recommend, and the tasting notes will still be our own. We will be returning to doing just the one wine on Thursdays and Fridays until further notice. We hope you are able to come by and get some wines to enjoy.

Lots and lots of fun, diverse wines coming out of Portugal these days. Real game changers in terms of quality and value, great mix of traditional character and modern innovation. Most of the wine consumers recognize comes from the North in the Vinho Verde, Douro and Dao regions, but the wines of the South are growing in notoriety, especially those in Alentejano. Herdade do Rocim is one of the most exciting wineries here, working with the native varietals in an organic/vegan process and mixing in things like amphora aging and natural fermentations with more modern methods. You see a lot more of Touriga Nacional in the Douro and Dao regions, the backbone of Port and increasingly featured in the more hearty dry wines of the region, but Rocim put a delicious twist on it. Still an inky purple/blue in the glass, but fresher aromatics of blue fruits and fresh tar, even a hint of citrus zest. The palate is a lot less dense and extracted than expected as well, purposely so to avoid the harder edged tannins Touriga can often deliver, and this wine wants to be easy to access. Supple dark berries all over the place on the palate with a little bit of fine edged tannins that give a dusty finish but don't stain it for hours. A very gulpable food friendly wine that can even stand a touch of chill in warmer weather but also stands up well to Winter comfort foods.

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